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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25205926">You Can Be a Hero</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/zahnie/pseuds/zahnie'>zahnie</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Vampire Jobs [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Angel: the Series, Leverage</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Twins, Canon-Typical Violence, Crossover, End of the World, F/M, Fix-It, Getting Together, I just want everybody to talk to each other, Kidnapping, Kissing, M/M, Multi, Pre-Relationship, Reconnaissance, Redemption, Sibling Bonding, Superpowers, Vampires, aggressive recruitment policies, and then I end up with over 10 named characters in a room together and cry a little, not really - Freeform, obstacle courses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 10:35:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>11,227</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25205926</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/zahnie/pseuds/zahnie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Lindsey asks Parker for help and she ends up running into the Slayer army, who decide she must be one of them.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alec Hardison/Parker/Eliot Spencer, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Sophie Devereaux/Nathan Ford</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Vampire Jobs [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/647636</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>48</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>You Can Be a Hero</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I've been working on this fic for so long and I'm so pleased with it and sooo happy I get to share it with you now! Definitely not a stand-alone: instead, a finale!</p><p>Setting: Angel season 5, near the end, but a lot is different. Leverage season 4, near the end too, but also a bit different. Blink-and-you'll-miss-it references to Buffy season 8 comics canon (you don't need to know it to understand, even what I do use is pretty AU).</p><p>Thank you to all my kind friends who read bits of this while it was in progress, esp greenmonstermash and silklegend &lt;3 &lt;3</p><p>Ripple effect from previous fic and this one in terms of Angel canon are in End Notes, because I felt like laying out just how thoroughly I fixed it :D</p><p>Title from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5pMoAByKWs">Way Up by Jaden Smith</a>. <a href="https://zahnie.tumblr.com/post/621422378108518400/leverageangel-fic-playlist-you-can-be-a-hero">Full playlist here!</a></p><p>Also, I've literally never had more fun researching for a fic: watching videos of Jessie Graff doing obstacle courses:<br/><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwDAmbIfmDE">American Ninja Warrior: Miami City Qualifiers Clip</a><br/><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPBYgQKlx5Q">Sasuke 34, Stage 1</a><br/><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eQDfHQK3Mo">Harry vs Jessie</a><br/><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K3rm6Kh9cg">Tough Mudder London West</a></p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="western">Someone is following her.</p><p class="western">Parker weighs her options. She could lose the guy, no problem. Finding out who he is would be harder then. If she leads him past enough security cameras and ATMs, Hardison might be able to identify him for her later. Not a guarantee.</p><p class="western">She walks a little slower. A block back, the man slows down too. Must be too many people around. Could be a tail, not a grab. Parker doesn't have anywhere in particular to be tonight so he could be trying to follow her home.</p><p class="western">Parker stops by the doorway of a boutique. The store's closed and its security camera blinks down at her. The man stops, closer now, to peer into a used book store window. While he's distracted by his own performance, Parker dashes into a nearby alley.</p><p class="western">A few seconds later, the man's silhouette appears at the mouth of the alley. Parker jabs her taser into his stomach, grinning at the sparks it makes. He cries out, shudders, and slumps to the ground.</p><p class="western">She stares down at his familiar-not-familiar face, her smile fading. Oops.</p><p class="western">Parker pulls a phone out of her pocket, dials a number by heart. Eliot answers, all growly, “What?”</p><p class="western">“Are you busy?” When friends aren't expecting you to call them, you should ask if they're busy, Sophie told her. It's a waste of time, but it's easy enough to do. Unlike most of the social rules Sophie tells her about.</p><p class="western">“Dammit Parker, I just got to sleep.”</p><p class="western">“I sort of tased your brother and now he's unconscious.”</p><p class="western">“What?!” Eliot sounds more alert now.</p><p class="western">“I didn't know it was him! He was following me!”</p><p class="western">“Where are you.” It isn't a question.</p><p class="western">She tells him.</p><p class="western">“Stay there, I'm coming.”</p><p class="western">“Okay.” Parker hangs up.</p><p class="western">Lindsey groans. Parker pokes him with her foot. He groans again. This is boring already.</p><p class="western">She wanders further down the alley. It's pretty dark away from the streetlights. She checks the time: just after 1. Eliot isn't usually asleep now. He's said before he sleeps best in the early evening and just before dawn. He's also said he only sleeps for 90 minutes a day but that was a joke. Probably. Hardison said it was a joke.</p><p class="western">When Parker turns back to Lindsey, he's looking at her. She stands still, a few steps away.</p><p class="western">“What was that you hit me with, a lightning bolt?” Lindsey asks.</p><p class="western">“Taser,” Parker says.</p><p class="western">“Same difference then,” he says. He slowly sits up, wincing. “That's what I get for trying to be stealthy, I guess.”</p><p class="western">“You woke up fast,” Parker says. Usually, people stay down for a lot longer. She had the taser on 'high' too.</p><p class="western">“Yeah, I have a... magic strength thing,” Lindsey says, pausing in the middle to roll his shoulders.</p><p class="western">“Cool!” Maybe magic isn't all bad.</p><p class="western">Lindsey peers up at her. “So, uh, I couldn't contact you by phone but I have a job for you, if you want it.” He smiles. It's weirdly similar to the way Eliot smiles at marks. “You come highly recommended.”</p><p class="western">“What kind of job?” Parker asks. The important questions first.</p><p class="western">“Recon,” Lindsey says.</p><p class="western">“Oh.” That's disappointing. She thought he was going to say something fun.</p><p class="western">“It's very important!” Lindsey says, hastily. “I need the identities of the members of a very evil secret society. They're called The Black Thorn.” He hasn't stood up yet. He's probably trying to put her at ease by staying lower down. They're the same height because Parker and Eliot are the same height, so he couldn't loom over her if he tried.</p><p class="western">“Why do you want to know?” Parker asks.</p><p class="western">“I don't.” Lindsey pulls up his right pant leg to show her an electronic monitoring anklet, one of the expensive kind. “I got caught. They wanted <em>me</em> to spy.” He shrugs. “I'm outsourcing. It's better for everybody.”</p><p class="western">“How much?” Parker asks.</p><p class="western">“Well, there are probably twenty or so members, and I'll need photos at least and names if you can get them, and—”</p><p class="western">“No, how much are you going to pay me?”</p><p class="western">Lindsey looks surprised. “I thought your team helps people in need.”</p><p class="western">“We do. But you're going to take credit for my work,” Parker says, because <em>that's</em> obvious. “And recon doesn't pay by itself.”</p><p class="western">Lindsey stares at her. “But you saved me before and didn't ask for anything in return.”</p><p class="western">Parker sighs impatiently. “This is different. I get paid to work.” She considers. It's bad policy but... “I guess you can owe me. This time.”</p><p class="western">Lindsey smiles again. “Thank you.”</p><p class="western">Parker reaches into her pocket and finds an unused burner phone. “Here.” She tosses it to Lindsey. “I'll text you so you can tell me when and where.”</p><p class="western">“Efficient,” he says.</p><p class="western">Parker snorts. “I <em>have</em> done this before.”</p><p class="western">She hears a roaring engine come closer than the rest of the regular night traffic noise and headlights suddenly light up the alley.</p><p class="western">Lindsey jolts and starts standing up. He doesn't get far before Eliot is out of the car, leaving it running, and rushing across the headlight beams.</p><p class="western">“He's okay, he has a magic thing!” Parker calls over the noise of the Challenger's engine.</p><p class="western">Eliot is saying something to Lindsey and helping him to stand up. He turns his head to look at Parker, shaking hair out of his eyes. “You coming?” Eliot asks.</p><p class="western">Parker shakes her head. “I'm good,” she says. “Don't take him home. He has a tracker.”</p><p class="western">Eliot nods. He helps Lindsey over to the car.</p><p class="western">Parker strolls off into the night.</p><p class="western">~~~</p><p class="western">Lindsey leans into his seat and sighs. “Well, that went worse than I expected.”</p><p class="western">Eliot tightens his grip on the steering wheel as he pulls out of the alley. “Why were you following her?”</p><p class="western">“Looking for you,” Lindsey says. “I thought she'd lead me right to you. At least that kind of worked out.”</p><p class="western">“She doesn't live with me,” Eliot says.</p><p class="western">“But you're sleeping with her?”</p><p class="western">“No.”</p><p class="western">“Huh. I thought you'd be into that whole slam-you-to-the-ground-with-no-warning thing.”</p><p class="western">Eliot rolls his eyes and doesn't dignify that with an answer. It's completely true, of course, which is all the more reason not to say so.</p><p class="western">“Where are you taking me anyway?” Lindsey asks after a minute.</p><p class="western">“Nowhere,” Eliot says, turning right. “Parker said you have a tracker.”</p><p class="western">“Yeah, could you help me with that?” Lindsey asks.</p><p class="western">“Who put it on you?”</p><p class="western">Lindsey grimaces. “Angel.”</p><p class="western">“They caught you again?” Eliot asks, surprised.</p><p class="western">Lindsey snaps, “They did not catch me <em>again.</em> That was Wolfram &amp; Hart.” He takes a deep breath. “Eve was in trouble, after last time. I tried... nevermind, you don't care.” He stops talking.</p><p class="western">Eliot doesn't know what to say. He hasn't spoken to Lindsey since Hardison and Parker rescued them. Every time he thought about reaching out, he couldn't figure out how to start. Eliot meant what he said before. He won't help Linds with vengeance anymore. But—</p><p class="western">“Didn't mean I don't care,” Eliot says finally. “I meant don't ask me to help you kill Angel.”</p><p class="western">“It won't matter soon anyway.”</p><p class="western">Eliot glances at Lindsey but he's looking away. He goes on. “They're planning something big. Like, apocalypse big. And if I don't help them...” Linds shrugs. “So today and tomorrow, we're having one last hurrah. To do the things we want to do, just in case.”</p><p class="western">Eliot goes cold. “In case what?” he asks, even though he can guess.</p><p class="western">“In case the world ends.”</p><p class="western">“Do you think... it will?” Eliot asks.</p><p class="western">Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Lindsey shrug again. “I'm here, aren't I?”</p><p class="western">Eliot takes a deep breath. His heart is pounding: adrenaline kicking in again, like it did when Parker's call woke him up. It takes a conscious effort not to drive faster.</p><p class="western">“I figured you wouldn't mind me showing up, even with the tracker, since they probably wouldn't bother trying to find you right now,” Lindsey continues. “But I didn't want to make it too easy either.”</p><p class="western">“Thanks,” Eliot says.</p><p class="western">“Look, we both knew this was coming,” Lindsey says, sighing. “It's just a bit early, maybe. Wolfram &amp; Hart was always heading toward a planned ending.”</p><p class="western">Eliot remembers Lindsey mentioning some kind of plan years ago. Back then, he'd tried not to know much about Lindsey's work. If you get in too deep with the supernatural, you'll never get out.</p><p class="western">“Can we do anything to stop it?” he asks.</p><p class="western">Lindsey laughs. “Oh, I forgot. You're a hero now.”</p><p class="western">“I'm not,” Eliot says, growling the words a little.</p><p class="western">Lindsey goes on like he didn't hear, his voice louder and more intense. “You 'help people' with your little team. Pretend being good <em>now</em> is going to make up for <em>anything </em>you did. Well, guess what, it won't work!”</p><p class="western">Of course not. Eliot already knows that. But just because the past is unforgivable, that doesn't mean he can't work on building a better future.</p><p class="western">In the silence, he says, “Linds,” then stops. He doesn't know how to explain it. He hasn't had to try before because the rest of the team already understand.</p><p class="western">Lindsey rubs his right wrist then raises both hands palms out like he's giving up. “Hey, whatever. You can waste your time if you want to.”</p><p class="western">“I'm not,” Eliot says again.</p><p class="western">“I still can't really believe you're working with a team,” Lindsey continues. “That's really hard to picture.”</p><p class="western">“I've done teams before,” Eliot protests.</p><p class="western">“Not like this.”</p><p class="western">Eliot glances at him. “What do you mean?”</p><p class="western">“How do you think I hid from Wolfram and Hart long enough to get those mystical tattoos?” Lindsey asks instead of answering.</p><p class="western">It only takes Eliot a second to figure it out. “You pretended to be me,” he says, just so it's out there in the real world. God. Linds is lucky to be alive.</p><p class="western">“It wasn't hard. Just scowl and don't talk,” Lindsey says, laughing. “Anyway, it didn't make sense, how people were acting, until I found out about your team. Big reputations, all of you.”</p><p class="western">“My reputation could get <em>you</em> killed,” Eliot says.</p><p class="western">Lindsey laughs again. “Mine too. I guess we'll both have to be careful.” He stretches. “Speaking of, I have to catch a flight to Cleveland in the morning. Come to the airport bar with me. I for one do not plan on facing the apocalypse sober.”</p><p class="western">~~~</p><p class="western">Parker triple-checks the address Lindsey gave her. She thought for sure she'd have to go all the way to California but the meeting is much closer to home. Cleveland is only a two hour plane ride from Boston.</p><p class="western">The meeting will be in the basement of an abandoned building and it starts at midnight, less than 24 hours after Lindsey met up with her. Parker gets there just before dark. The building looks like it might have been a community centre before the windows were boarded up.</p><p class="western">Inside, most of the furniture has been cleared out but there's still a few rusting metal folding chairs scattered around, as well as bottles, clothes, and needles. It doesn't look like anyone has squatted here recently though. Everything has dust on it.</p><p class="western">The basement has no stairs. There's just a door that opens onto a pit with part of one railing leading down into the dark.</p><p class="western">Parker shrugs. Maybe the Black Thorn people can fly. Or make magic stairs.</p><p class="western">She shines her flashlight into the hole. It isn't too far and the cement floor looks pretty clear. Parker jumps.</p><p class="western">There isn't anything at all in the basement, not even the remains of the stairs. No graffiti on the walls, no trash, just smooth cement walls and floor.</p><p class="western">Parker checks the ceiling. The air ducts and rafters are partly exposed. She finds a promising opening near the far wall and climbs in, pulling her gear up behind her. She can see almost the whole room from this spot. She takes a few shots with her favourite recon camera to see how good the coverage is. It's a high-quality camera with a very quiet click but the basement is so dark that the photos don't look like much.</p><p class="western">This might be a problem. Lindsey texted that the Black Thorn people have enhanced senses. If they don't need any light, the camera won't be much use. Parker brought her night-vision goggles and sketch pad so she'll be able to give Lindsey drawings at least.</p><p class="western">The wait is boring but she's used to this kind of thing. At ten minutes to midnight, a soft green glow appears in the middle of the basement floor. A long black table appears, with high-backed chairs arranged around it, as well as six smaller tables with unlit candles on them. Parker counts thirteen chairs in total. The glow fades away.</p><p class="western">Then, the wall near the far end of the table begins to glow. One by one, thirteen people come through it. Parker gets to work taking photos.</p><p class="western">When all of the people are seated, the one at the head of the table stands up. He taps the table and all of the candles light themselves at once. Parker manages not to cry out at the sudden pain in her eyes.</p><p class="western">“I call this quorum of The Black Thorn to order,” the chairman says, as Parker frantically blinks tears away. “Tonight, we must decide whether to offer membership to the vampire Angel.”</p><p class="western">~~~</p><p class="western">Hardison answers the door to his apartment already complaining. “...obviously never listen to anything I say because I definitely told you I was busy tonight and here you are, knocking away. Not even a call first. Unbelievable.” He takes a breath and catches Eliot's eye. “Whoa, what's up?”</p><p class="western">“Nothing, wanted to watch the game on a bigger screen,” Eliot says. He spent a long time coming up with that excuse. He spent even longer trying to convince himself to just stay home.</p><p class="western">Hardison raises his eyebrows. “Oh yeah?”</p><p class="western">“Yeah. Can I come in or what?” It comes out sharper than Eliot intended but Hardison motions him into the apartment anyway.</p><p class="western">“What kind of game is playing at midnight on a Wednesday anyway?” Hardison asks. It must be a rhetorical question because he keeps talking. “Lucky for you, the raid hasn't started yet because I 100% would not have answered the door if it was on.”</p><p class="western">“Raid?” Eliot asks.</p><p class="western">“In WoW.” When Eliot blinks at him, Hardison throws up his hands. “Oh my god, World of Warcraft. I can't believe you still need that spelled out.”</p><p class="western">Eliot rolls his eyes.</p><p class="western">Hardison tosses a remote to him. “Just for that, you figure out how to find your precious game yourself. Good luck.”</p><p class="western">From years of experience, Eliot knows he only has to last a few minutes trying before Hardison will swoop in to help. He should have stayed home but his anxiety level is already lower just being here.</p><p class="western">“Where's Parker?” Eliot asks, pressing buttons basically randomly.</p><p class="western">“I have no idea,” Hardison says. “She said she'd probably be back tomorrow.”</p><p class="western">Eliot hopes the world doesn't end before then. He'd like to see Parker again too.</p><p class="western">~~~</p><p class="western">The meeting lasts long enough that Parker has time to quickly sketch everyone as well as take photos and note down everything that sounds like a name.</p><p class="western">Letting Angel into the secret society seems to be the only item on the agenda tonight. Most of the group think he's well on his way to being evil. But that prompts a discussion about the nature of evil which drags on for a while.</p><p class="western">Parker doesn't like Angel but from what they're saying about him, she doesn't think he'll want to join their club anyway. Out of all the bad things he's done, Angel didn't do any of them in order to impress people like this. Besides, wouldn't he have to change his name to be in an evil secret society? Maybe it would just become ironic.</p><p class="western">“We could arrange for some of Angel's team to be killed, to push him over the edge,” Senator Helen Bruckner, a human-looking white woman, suggests.</p><p class="western">“A workplace accident would only be blamed on Wolfram &amp; Hart itself,” Cyvus Vail says.</p><p class="western">Parker's never seen anybody with dark red skin like his before. She should have brought pencil crayons for her sketches.</p><p class="western">Cyvus takes a few wheezing breaths before continuing. “Any attempt would have to clearly have no connection to the company to be effective.”</p><p class="western">A bunch of people start talking over each other then. After a minute or two of chatter, Archduke Sebassis taps the magic table with his knuckles. “If all we can do is think of ways to improve him, I feel our choice has already been made. Angel is not ready to be among us.”</p><p class="western">The curling horns on his head look heavy. He must have to duck to go through most doorways.</p><p class="western">There is some grumbling from the others around the table. Sebassis holds up his hand and goes on, “When a membership question takes this long to resolve, it is clear to me that our answer must be negative. However, due to the energetic efforts at Wolfram &amp; Hart, I am sure we will eventually welcome Angel into The Black Thorn.”</p><p class="western">The meeting doesn't last long after that speech. After everyone walked through the portal and the tables, chairs, and candles disappear, Parker waits in her hiding place for another half an hour.</p><p class="western">When she's certain the coast is clear, she loops the strap of her bag over her shoulder, swings along the rafters like they are parallel bars, then throws herself at the basement door sill. She catches it with the tips of her fingers. After consolidating her grip, Parker pushes the door open with one hand and clambers up onto the main floor. Silently closing the basement door behind her, she leaves the abandoned community centre.</p><p class="western">Hardison showed her how to find and hack any nearby wifi signals a while ago and Parker uses his tricks now to send Lindsey the photos. One of the members didn't show up in her photo at all so she takes a quick photo of her sketch to send too, as well as the list of names.</p><p class="western">Parker is using the stolen wifi to Google late-night Cleveland restaurants when she hears someone running toward her. She turns her tablet screen off quickly. She's sitting on the lowest landing of a fire escape, about ten feet above a dark alley.</p><p class="western">Footsteps echo off the concrete buildings as whoever it is stumbles in from the street. He pauses almost directly below Parker, looking around like he's worried about being followed. He even looks up, which is how she sees that he's a vampire. And how she learns that vampires can see in the dark.</p><p class="western">The vampire makes a little growling noise when he realizes Parker is there. She kicks the release on the fire escape ladder and it rattles down, hitting the vampire in the shoulder. He yells and falls over.</p><p class="western">Parker slips her tablet into her bag and pulls out a stake. Since Hardison's un-vamping, she's been carrying them. She slides easily down the ladder, landing beside the vampire, who is struggling to get to his feet.</p><p class="western">“How the hell did you get up there?” he asks Parker, his face looking human now. When he sees the stake in her hand, he snarls.</p><p class="western">His face blurs back into the monster shape as he lunges forward. Parker lunges forward too, like Eliot taught her, and slams the stake into the vampire's heart as hard as she can. He shrieks and explodes into dust right in her face, making her cough.</p><p class="western">A slow clapping sound snaps Parker's attention to the mouth of the alley. A brunette white woman in a jean jacket and leather pants is applauding. “Wow, great job,” she says, sarcastically. “We can definitely follow him back to his nest now.”</p><p class="western">As she finishes speaking, five more women run up behind her and stop. They're all staring at Parker. She edges away, closer to the fire escape ladder.</p><p class="western">“Wait.” The first woman steps forward. “You're new, aren't you?”</p><p class="western">Parker has no idea what she's talking about. She backs up a little more.</p><p class="western">“I'm Faith,” the woman says, standing still. “I'm a Slayer too.”</p><p class="western">“What's a Slayer?” Parker asks. Spike the vampire-ghost-who-isn't-a-ghost-anymore asked her if she was a Slayer, back when she first met him in a basement of Wolfram &amp; Hart. Then he said it was 'too much to hope for' which didn't make any sense but she let it go at the time.</p><p class="western">Faith grins. “Oh, wow, you really are new.” Over her shoulder, Parker sees that the crowd of women has grown. They're all young. Most of them look younger than Faith, who is almost definitely younger than Parker.</p><p class="western">“How did you know how to dust that vamp?” Faith asks.</p><p class="western">Parker shrugs.</p><p class="western">Faith laughs. “Must have been one of your first. The pros figure out how not to breathe them in.” Suddenly, Faith spins and punches the alley wall so hard she makes a dust cloud. She leans away in an exaggerated motion, and doesn't cough.</p><p class="western">“Slayers are us,” she says grinning and gesturing to herself and the other women. “Girls with super strength who dust vamps and kill demons. There are lots of us now but there used to be only one at a time.”</p><p class="western">“I don't think I'm a Slayer,” Parker says, backing up another step.</p><p class="western">“We're pretty fast too,” Faith says. “Come back to base, I'll show you our orientation video.” Though her tone is flippant, Parker sees the way the other Slayers behind Faith tense. A couple of them even reach into pockets for weapons.</p><p class="western">There is no way she can fight her way out of this and it sounds like running isn't a good option. “I need to make a call first,” Parker says.</p><p class="western">“It's a free country. Go nuts,” Faith says.</p><p class="western">The Slayers all shift their stances as Parker reaches into her pocket, almost in unison. It's creepy. She turns away a little, dials by memory.</p><p class="western">Hardison answers after two rings. “<em>Neither</em> of you ever listen to me. Parker, I told you, I'm—”</p><p class="western">“Hi, sweetie, sorry to wake you,” Parker says, cutting him off.</p><p class="western">Hardison splutters. “Wait, what? 'Sweetie'?!”</p><p class="western">“I'm going to make another stop before I head home and I might need you to pick me up later,” Parker says.</p><p class="western">“Are you in trouble?” Hardison asks.</p><p class="western">“I ran into a new friend and we're going to her place,” Parker says. She turns around. “Faith, what's the address?”</p><p class="western">“Sounds like trouble to me,” Hardison says.</p><p class="western">Faith tells Parker an address. Some of the other Slayers frown but they stay quiet.</p><p class="western">Parker relays the information. “Not sure how long I'll be,” she says.</p><p class="western">“If I don't hear from you in half an hour, me and Eliot will come break down their door.”</p><p class="western">It'll take a lot longer than half an hour for them to come from Boston to Cleveland. “Sounds great,” Parker says. “Bye.” She hangs up. She also turns on the phone's GPS so Hardison will know if they take her to a different place.</p><p class="western">“Okay. Kallie, Alice, Nadiya, Harpreet, you keep scouting this area. Call in if you find the nest. The rest of you, come back home with me and...” Faith pauses. “What's your name, anyway?” she asks.</p><p class="western">“Hope,” Parker says, since it sounds like Alice is taken.</p><p class="western">~~~</p><p class="western">“Cleveland? You're sure?” Eliot asks. He stands up, clenching and unclenching his fists.</p><p class="western">“Yeah, of course I'm sure. Why?” Alec asks, tearing his eyes away from Eliot's hands and back to his computer. Unless Parker is very wrong about the address, it is absolutely in Cleveland.</p><p class="western">“We have to get moving. You call Sophie, I'll call Nate.” Eliot pulls a phone out of his pocket.</p><p class="western">His urgency is starting to freak Alec out. “What's so bad about Cleveland?” he asks, grabbing one of his own phones off the kitchen counter.</p><p class="western">“Dammit Hardison, just do it!”</p><p class="western">Alec is already dialing. Sophie's phone rings twice, and then Nate says, “Hello?”</p><p class="western">“Nate?” Alec asks, incredulous.</p><p class="western">A split second later, Eliot asks, “Sophie?”</p><p class="western">They look at each other in confusion, and then grin at the same time.</p><p class="western">“What's going on?” Nate asks.</p><p class="western">“Parker called and she's in trouble. We're going to Cleveland.”</p><p class="western">“Okay, meet you at the airport,” Nate says. He hangs up.</p><p class="western">Huh. That was easy. Though Nate probably just wanted to end the call before Alec teased him about picking up Sophie's phone.</p><p class="western">“Let's get going,” Eliot says.</p><p class="western">“What's wrong with Parker being in Cleveland? Is this something to do with your grudge against Ohio?” Alec asks, throwing various equipment he might need into a bag.</p><p class="western">Eliot ignores the question, which means it probably does. “Bring that holy water I got for you,” he says.</p><p class="western">Alec's heart lurches. “Okay.”</p><p class="western">~~~</p><p class="western">When Hardison finally starts driving them to the airport, Eliot calls Lindsey.</p><p class="western">He answers after one ring. “What are you doing up this late?”</p><p class="western">“Why is Parker in Cleveland?” Eliot snaps.</p><p class="western">“I don't know, why?”</p><p class="western">“Not a joke, Linds!” Eliot yells. Beside him, Hardison is trying to pretend he's focused on driving and not listening.</p><p class="western">“You calling <em>me</em> to find one of your team is pretty funny,” Lindsey says.</p><p class="western">“Tell me. Right now!”</p><p class="western">“Why do you think this is my fault? She's a free agent, isn't she? She can go anywhere in the world if she wants to!” Linds is starting to sound angry too, but Eliot knows him better than that.</p><p class="western">“You bump into Parker, you go to Cleveland, and then a day later, she calls us from Cleveland because she's in trouble. Tell me that's a coincidence!”</p><p class="western">“She's in trouble? Hey, that has nothing to do with me.”</p><p class="western">Eliot growls into the phone, too frustrated for words.</p><p class="western">“Are you seriously <em>snarling</em> at me right now? What the fuck, El.” Lindsey pauses, then gives in. “Okay, okay, Parker accepted a job from me. But she finished it! If she's in trouble now, it wasn't the job.”</p><p class="western">“What was the job?”</p><p class="western">“Recon. She got out fine, sent me the pictures. Honestly, El, she's <em>amazing</em>. Even sketched one of them.” Lindsey sounds like he's telling the truth. But that bullshit he was spouting yesterday about the apocalypse sounded true too.</p><p class="western">“So that's why you were in Boston,” Eliot says.</p><p class="western">Lindsey sighs. “Look, I'm sure she's fine. Stop worrying.”</p><p class="western">“She wouldn't even be there if you—”</p><p class="western">Linds interrupts. “What does she usually charge for a job anyway? In case I want to use her again.”</p><p class="western">Eliot can't believe it. “<em>Parker</em> did a recon job for <em>free</em>?” Hardison stares at Eliot, apparently forgetting his not-listening pretense. Eliot gestures to the road in front of them, turning away so Hardison can concentrate on driving.</p><p class="western">“What can I say, she's a hero too,” Lindsey says, mockingly. “Said I could owe her.”</p><p class="western">All of the anger drains out of Eliot and guilt rushes in to take its place. “She trusted you because of <em>me</em>. Because you're my brother.”</p><p class="western">“How is that my problem?” Lindsey asks and hangs up.</p><p class="western">~~~</p><p class="western">The Slayer base looks like a prison. Barbed wire fences, watchtowers, patrols. The only things missing are guns. Instead, Parker sees stakes, swords, axes, and crossbows. Eliot would like this place.</p><p class="western">Faith stops the van by the biggest building and the whole pack of Slayers plus Parker follow her inside. They end up in a small conference room with a projection screen on one wall.</p><p class="western">“Okay, Hope,” Faith says, “Stay here and watch the movie. I'll be back later.” The five remaining Slayers stay in the room with Parker. Still too many to fight.</p><p class="western">The video starts with a blonde woman smiling tightly at the camera. “Hi. I'm Buffy Summers, and I'm here to tell you about being a Slayer.”</p><p class="western">It's been about twenty five minutes since she called Hardison. Under the table, Parker texts, <em>ok at address now</em></p><p class="western">Hardison immediately texts back, <em>I do Not have a teleporter</em></p><p class="western">
  <em>E is Freaking</em>
</p><p class="western">
  <em>Plane leaves in 30</em>
</p><p class="western">
  <em>Full crew</em>
</p><p class="western">Parker deletes the messages as soon as she reads them. She wonders if Eliot knows why she's in Cleveland.</p><p class="western">“No phones,” one of the Slayers, Chelsea, says. She holds her hand out.</p><p class="western">“I'll turn it off,” Parker says, smiling. Sophie always says a good smile can help a bad situation.</p><p class="western">“You can have it back later,” Chelsea says, hand still out.</p><p class="western">She's probably lying. Parker gives her the phone anyway. They won't get anything off of it. Hardison tweaked this phone for her so the call history deletes automatically and the trash folder empties itself right away.</p><p class="western">~~~</p><p class="western">After Sophie has grifted them into an executive lounge near their gate that they are definitely not supposed to have access to, especially not at almost 2 in the morning, Nate says, “Okay, go.”</p><p class="western">Everybody turns to Alec.</p><p class="western">“Don't look at me,” he says. “All I know is Parker called, said she might need a rescue, I traced her to Cleveland, and Eliot freaked out.” Alec deliberately doesn't mention Eliot calling Lindsey. If Eliot wants to bring that up, he will.</p><p class="western">“Was Eliot with you when Parker called?” Sophie asks, one eyebrow up.</p><p class="western">“What's bad about Cleveland?” Nate asks impatiently.</p><p class="western">Eliot sighs. He leans forward and says quietly, “It's a Hellmouth.”</p><p class="western">“It's a <em>what</em>?” Alec and Sophie ask at the same time.</p><p class="western">Eliot glares at them. “A Hellmouth. It's like a magnet for evil.”</p><p class="western">“Evil, like vampires?” Nate asks. Alec tenses at how calmly Nate asks the question.</p><p class="western">Eliot rubs his face and says, “Yeah and worse.”</p><p class="western">“Why didn't you tell us?” Sophie asks. Nate looks annoyed, like she stole his thunder.</p><p class="western">Eliot shrugs uncomfortably. “Too much at once isn't... it all sounds fake. And it's not like I wanted us to <em>go </em>to Cleveland so you could see what it's like.”</p><p class="western">“I've been to Cleveland before,” Alec says, “Didn't seem more evil than other places.”</p><p class="western">“Then you were lucky,” Eliot says, meeting Alec's eyes. Alec realizes all of a sudden that Eliot is <em>scared</em>.</p><p class="western">“Well, we're on our way there now,” Nate says. He checks his watch. “We have ten minutes to boarding. Start talking, Eliot.”</p><p class="western">~~~</p><p class="western">The Slayer orientation video is weird. The fighting parts are kind of cool. The rest is about sacred duty and saving the world. It sounds like a big time commitment. Parker isn't opposed to having superpowers but she doesn't see what becoming an army has to do with anything.</p><p class="western">The credits roll. Chelsea snaps the light back on. “So?” she demands. “Are you a Slayer?”</p><p class="western">“No,” Parker says. The video said all the formerly-potential Slayers got stronger last year all of a sudden. Parker's stronger than other people expect, sure, but she built that up over time.</p><p class="western">Jean-Marie sighs. “How would she know? She was paying no attention at all,” she says in French.</p><p class="western">Chelsea ignores her. “Why did you have a stake then?”</p><p class="western">Parker shrugs.</p><p class="western">“Who taught you how to stake vampires?” Meredith asks.</p><p class="western">“It's not that hard to figure out,” Heather argues. “She could have taught herself.”</p><p class="western">“This is pointless,” Jean-Marie says, still in French.</p><p class="western">“English, Jean-Marie,” Meredith says.</p><p class="western">Jean-Marie rolls her eyes. “We should be on patrol, not babysitting,” she says, in heavily accented English.</p><p class="western">“Give me my phone back,” Parker says, just to see what happens.</p><p class="western">“Answer our questions,” Chelsea retorts, crossing her arms.</p><p class="western">Parker crosses her arms too and leans back in her chair a little. It's hard plastic and very uncomfortable.</p><p class="western">“Chels, give her the phone,” Heather says.</p><p class="western">“<em>You</em> aren't in charge,” Chelsea says.</p><p class="western">“Neither are you,” Heather retorts.</p><p class="western">Tina, who hasn't spoken at all yet, asks quietly, “Do your dreams come true?”</p><p class="western">“I don't dream,” Parker says.</p><p class="western">“Everybody dreams,” Meredith says. “Even if you don't always remember them.”</p><p class="western">“I don't,” Parker says. Although, now that she thinks about it, she has woken up shaking more often than usual this year. Hardison thinks that means she had a nightmare and doesn't remember it.</p><p class="western">Heather looks at Parker critically. “Isn't she a bit old?”</p><p class="western">Jean-Marie shrugs. “How big is a generation?”</p><p class="western">“How old are you?” Chelsea asks Parker.</p><p class="western">“Give me my phone,” Parker says, like it will be an exchange. Sophie always stresses the importance of implication.</p><p class="western">Meredith says impatiently, “This is going nowhere. How do we usually test if somebody's a Slayer anyway?”</p><p class="western">“Obstacle course?” Tina suggests.</p><p class="western">Parker straightens up. That sounds like fun.</p><p class="western">Chelsea checks her watch. “After dinner, maybe.”</p><p class="western">The other Slayers nod and start standing up. “You hungry, Hope?” Heather asks.</p><p class="western">Parker was hungry hours ago. She shrugs and stands up too.</p><p class="western">Chelsea pauses near the door. “She isn't coming.”</p><p class="western">“Of course she is. Stop being such an asshole, Chels,” Heather snaps.</p><p class="western">“I'm not. It's security protocol. She doesn't have clearance to just wander around in here.”</p><p class="western">“What could she possibly do against all of us?” Jean-Marie asks.</p><p class="western">“Exactly,” Heather says. She jerks her head at Parker and strides out the door.</p><p class="western">As Parker passes Chelsea, she nonchalantly nudges the Slayer to distract from checking her pockets. No phone. She must have stashed it somewhere in the room.</p><p class="western">“Watch it,” Chelsea mutters, shoving Parker.</p><p class="western">Parker's shoes skid on the industrial linoleum of the hallway but she doesn't fall. The other Slayers turn at the slight noise.</p><p class="western">“Come on, Hope,” Meredith calls.</p><p class="western">Getting out of the compound itself would be easy. The problem is the guards outside, especially on foot alone. Parker's best plan right now is to wait for her backup to arrive.</p><p class="western">She walks away from Chelsea without a word and the pack of Slayers forms up around her.</p><p class="western">~~~</p><p class="western">The second their plane lands, Hardison has his phone out. Eliot leans over so he can see the screen better.</p><p class="western">“Nothing,” Hardison says. “She would've checked in again if she could.”</p><p class="western">Eliot's chest tightens. He tried to convince himself all flight that he's just being paranoid, that they'll arrive in Cleveland to a false alarm, to Parker completely safe.</p><p class="western">Hardison pushes against Eliot's shoulder with his own. Eliot obligingly moves back but Hardison follows. “This feels a lot like when Parker and I went to find you,” he mutters, leaning against Eliot. “When you were in that magic suburbia place.”</p><p class="western">“It's not the same,” Eliot says. It'd <em>better</em> not be the same or he doesn't know what he'll do.</p><p class="western">Hardison sighs and straightens up. “One good thing: no Wolfram &amp; Hart in Cleveland.”</p><p class="western">They disembark with a herd of other cranky passengers. Hardison is extremely skilled at walking and typing on his phone at the same time but Eliot still sticks close to him.</p><p class="western">He sees Nate and Sophie ahead across the crowded room. They took the first class tickets, as usual. As he and Hardison get closer, Eliot can see they're talking to someone.</p><p class="western">It's Lindsey.</p><p class="western">Eliot walks faster, Hardison keeping pace beside him without looking up. Eliot wants to believe Linds is here for a good reason but he can't count on that.</p><p class="western">Nate glances over. “Ah, Eliot. Did you know your brother was in town?” he says, deceptively mild. Sophie turns around too.</p><p class="western">Hardison's head snaps up. He blinks at Lindsey, who's smirking for some reason.</p><p class="western">“I thought it wasn't your problem.” The words are out of Eliot's mouth before he knows he's going to say them.</p><p class="western">Lindsey's smirk widens into a grin. “Well, you've made it into my problem so thanks for that.”</p><p class="western">Before Eliot can ask Linds what he means, Sophie cuts in. “Are those people with you, Lindsey? They've been staring at us for five minutes.”</p><p class="western">She flicks her eyes to a group sitting nearby. Eliot looks without turning his head. Angel, Spike, Wesley, Gunn, Fred, and Lorne.</p><p class="western">Lindsey shrugs. “Only in the loosest possible sense of the word. But they do want to talk to all of you.”</p><p class="western">“Why?” Nate asks.</p><p class="western">“They tapped my phone, heard me talk to Eliot, and decided they want to help,” Lindsey says, calmly. It makes Eliot want to punch somebody, preferably Angel. He has to get Linds free of this, if he can.</p><p class="western">Nate nods. “We're short on time but I suppose we can hear them out.”</p><p class="western">“What?! No, Nate, we have to—” Hardison starts to protest but Nate interrupts.</p><p class="western">“Hardison, we might need them. We don't know what we're up against.”</p><p class="western">Hardison subsides and Lindsey leads them all, Angel's group included, into a small lounge a little further down the concourse. There aren't quite enough seats for all eleven of them so Eliot leans against the wall by the door with Lindsey beside him.</p><p class="western">“Holy shit,” Hardison breathes. Eliot thinks he's reacting to Lorne, who isn't attempting to disguise his horns or green skin at all, but then Hardison asks, “Charlie?”</p><p class="western">“Alec? Is that you?” Gunn asks, looking dazed.</p><p class="western">“I thought you were dead. What the hell are you doing here?”</p><p class="western">“I could ask you the same thing,” Gunn says.</p><p class="western">Hardison grins suddenly. “Nana's gonna be so happy when I tell her I saw you.” He steps towards Gunn, arms open. They hug.</p><p class="western">Eliot glances at Lindsey, who is already staring back at him. He's smirking again. <em>Ex-boyfriend?</em> Linds mouths to Eliot. Eliot shrugs. The odds are against it but anything is possible.</p><p class="western">“Gunn, what's going on?” Angel asks when the hug is over.</p><p class="western">“Oh, uh, this is my foster brother, Alec Hardison,” Gunn says.</p><p class="western">“Don't tell me you work for Wolfram &amp; Hart,” Hardison says, “I mean, I'm grateful for that antidote but they are so evil.”</p><p class="western">“Antidote?” Wesley and Fred ask at the same time.</p><p class="western">Gunn stares at Eliot and then back to Hardison, horror clear on his face. “You got bit?” he asks.</p><p class="western">Hardison nods. “Zero out of ten, do not recommend.”</p><p class="western">“But you're okay now? No side effects?” Fred asks.</p><p class="western">Gunn grabs Hardison's wrist. Eliot leans forward.</p><p class="western">“No, I don't think so,” Hardison says, glancing at Eliot, staying relaxed. Telling him without words it's okay. “Should there be?”</p><p class="western">“I've got a pulse and he's warm,” Gunn reports.</p><p class="western">“Doesn't smell like a demon,” Spike offers. “Though it's hard to tell with Angelus stinking up the place.”</p><p class="western">Angel sighs heavily.</p><p class="western">“Wait, back that up,” Hardison says, pulling out of Gunn's grip to gesture wildly. “Was there a chance that antidote could have turned me into a <em>demon</em>?”</p><p class="western">“It was very unlikely,” Wesley says.</p><p class="western">“How many people have you cured from being vampires anyway?” Hardison asks.</p><p class="western">“None,” Gunn says quietly.</p><p class="western">“But I'm—”</p><p class="western">“You weren't turned all the way. They... drain your blood, you drink their blood, and then you're dead until you rise.” Gunn's voice is flat.</p><p class="western">Wesley picks up the thread. “The antidote healed you before your soul departed and before you could rise. It's fortunate we discovered it in time. You could have come back as a human with no soul.”</p><p class="western">“A shoo-in to work at Wolfram &amp; Hart,” Lindsey says, grinning.</p><p class="western">“Wow,” Hardison says. He turns to Angel. “Guess the no-soul thing explains how you sent Eliot and Lindsey to go get tortured like that.”</p><p class="western">Eliot tenses. He never told Hardison and Parker about the basement, about the torture. But obviously, he hadn't needed to.</p><p class="western">Angel furrows his brow. “I didn't <em>send </em>them anywhere. When the senior partners found Lindsey—after he tried to kill me and blow up the building, I might add—Eliot grabbed him and they took them both. I still don't know where.”</p><p class="western">“I do. Parker and I got them out,” Hardison says.</p><p class="western">Angel continues. “And I <em>do</em> have a soul, I've had one for a long time.” He stops talking and stares at Hardison. “You broke into a Wolfram &amp; Hart holding facility? How?”</p><p class="western">Hardison shrugs. “It wasn't that difficult.”</p><p class="western">“Oh, is that what you were doing when you and Alice were trying to find Files &amp; Records?” Spike asks. “Where is Alice anyway?”</p><p class="western">“Alice is Parker, I'm assuming?” Sophie asks, breaking her long silence, glancing over her shoulder at Eliot. He nods.</p><p class="western">“Blonde, angry, likes to jump out of the ceiling?” Spike asks.</p><p class="western">“That's Parker,” Nate says.</p><p class="western">“Why don't we do some introductions?” Angel suggests. “You go first.”</p><p class="western">Everyone except Lindsey introduces themselves. The Wolfram &amp; Hart team gives their department titles as well as their names, except Spike who introduces himself as a 'Champion' with no further explanation.</p><p class="western">The Leverage team sticks to more covert versions of their real roles: Sophie is a 'communication consultant', Hardison is a 'systems analyst', and Nate is a 'managerial consultant.' Eliot's just 'security' which makes Lindsey laugh.</p><p class="western">“How does Parker fit in to your organization?” Angel asks.</p><p class="western">“She keeps the books,” Nate says.</p><p class="western">“She's broken into our building at least twice. Not usual bookkeeper behaviour,” Wesley says, dryly.</p><p class="western">“Though we do get an awful lot of break-ins.” Fred says.</p><p class="western">Eliot's just about out of patience by now. “The whole point of this is you want to help,” he cuts in. “We'd already <em>be </em>at the address otherwise.”</p><p class="western">“You have an address? Then what's the problem?” Angel asks.</p><p class="western">“We'd like to have a plan first too,” Sophie says.</p><p class="western">“Why? We never bother with one,” Spike says.</p><p class="western">“Where is it?” Gunn asks Hardison.</p><p class="western">Hardison tells him, adding, “Somebody named Faith. Parker called her a 'new friend' but that could have just been because she was listening.”</p><p class="western">Angel's team all exchange glances. “Faith's in Cleveland now?” Fred asks, eyes wide.</p><p class="western">Spike crows, “I <em>knew</em> she was a Slayer!”</p><p class="western">~~~</p><p class="western">“Ready?” Meredith asks, stopwatch in hand.</p><p class="western">Parker nods. She takes a deep breath as she scans the obstacle course. Parallel bars, wall climbing, balance tests, swinging ropes, weights. No mats underneath anything. That's fine, she isn't going to fall.</p><p class="western">“Go!”</p><p class="western">Parker throws herself at the first bar from a standing start. She swings her body like a pendulum to build momentum and launches forward to the next bar and the next. Easy.</p><p class="western">The second set of bars are different heights. Parker carefully judges the distances as she swings and grabs each one solidly. She rolls with her landing and comes back up with enough force to jump into the wall climb. It's rough plaster so Parker just scrambles up until her fingertips catch the top edge and she can pull herself up onto the platform.</p><p class="western">Balance tests are no problem. The plank is smooth, flat, and about a palm-width across. Archie trained her on beams about this wide but higher up.</p><p class="western">On the other side, Parker grabs the rope and swings out. She jumps into empty air with a whoop, catching the next rope easily. There are five in total, all different heights, so she has to climb up and down as well as swing.</p><p class="western">The weighted curtains are the last obstacle. Parker pushes them up only far enough that she can make it through the gaps. Parker slaps the far wall, calling “Time!” to Meredith.</p><p class="western">Then she turns around and does the whole course again in reverse order. The only obstacle that doesn't really work in reverse is the wall climb so Parker just slides down from the platform.</p><p class="western">“Not bad for a first run,” Meredith says. Parker's time is pretty close to the daily practice scores she sees recorded on the chalkboard wall.</p><p class="western">“Why did you do it twice?” Heather asks.</p><p class="western">“You have to get out again,” Parker explains, breathing hard.</p><p class="western">“No, there's an exit over there. You can just walk around through the viewing area,” Meredith says, pointing.</p><p class="western">That isn't what Parker meant but she doesn't bother clarifying. She accepts a bottle of water from Heather and takes a long drink. Jean-Marie and Tina left after dinner, so there are only three Slayers sticking with Parker now.</p><p class="western">Chelsea frowns. “I don't know if that really proves she's a Slayer. Regular people do those game shows, after all.”</p><p class="western">Heather sighs heavily. “Oh yeah, regular people just buzz through advanced obstacle courses at 4:30 a.m. after eating a full meal. What <em>would</em> prove it to you?”</p><p class="western">Without warning, Chelsea lunges forward and tries to punch Parker in the face.</p><p class="western">Parker leaps out of the way in time, making Chelsea miss. Instinctively, she throws the half-empty water bottle at her attacker, who bats it away. Meredith and Heather shriek in surprise as water flies everywhere.</p><p class="western">Chelsea punches out again, hitting Parker's blocking forearm. She's so fast. She's striking again before Parker can retaliate.</p><p class="western">Parker ducks, then punches Chelsea in the stomach. Chelsea grunts and kicks Parker in the ribs when she's already moving away. It hurts. Parker wishes she had her taser.</p><p class="western">“Stop!”</p><p class="western">Chelsea freezes at the shouted command but Parker doesn't. She punches Chelsea right in the nose. Chelsea yells and clutches her face. Blood trickles between her fingers.</p><p class="western">“Hope, stop it!” Faith yells.</p><p class="western">Parker's already backing up out of range. She didn't start the fight but she finished it.</p><p class="western">“I leave you with a new Slayer and you do this? What the hell were you thinking?” Faith asks.</p><p class="western">Chelsea lowers her hands enough to say blurrily. “I was only trying to—”</p><p class="western">Faith cuts her off. “Not just talking to you.” She glares at Heather and Meredith. “You two just stand there while she's attacked?”</p><p class="western">Meredith shuffles her feet. Heather looks indignant. “Hope can't be a Slayer if she can't defend herself,” she says.</p><p class="western">Faith narrows her eyes. “She shouldn't have to defend herself from another Slayer unless it's a scheduled sparring match. That's why we <em>have</em> those.”</p><p class="western">Chelsea sniffs noisily, wincing. “I was trying to test her healing ability,” she explains. Her nose has already stopped bleeding.</p><p class="western">“Seems like that went well,” Faith says. She sighs. “Come on, Hope, I need to talk to you. You three, this is not over.”</p><p class="western">Parker crosses the space between them, following Faith away from the growing crowd. Her ribs hurt. She wonders if they'll heal as fast as Chelsea's face. That would probably be the most useful thing about being a Slayer.</p><p class="western">“<em>Do</em> you have enhanced healing abilities?” Faith asks, once they're alone.</p><p class="western">Parker shrugs. She hasn't gotten hurt in a while, before today.</p><p class="western">Faith sighs. “If you're a Slayer—and I think that you are—the superpowers and the dreams, those will be there whether you join us or not. But... even with people you don't always get along with, it's easier not being alone. Trust me, I know.”</p><p class="western">“I'm not alone,” Parker says.</p><p class="western">“You mean that boyfriend you called? But does he really <em>get</em> you? He's not going to understand the things you're going through.”</p><p class="western">Parker crosses her arms and glares at Faith. “We'll be fine.”</p><p class="western">“When you're a Slayer alone, vampires will attack you on sight,” Faith says.</p><p class="western">“No, they won't.”</p><p class="western">Faith rolls her eyes. “One did tonight.”</p><p class="western">“I've met vampires who didn't,” Parker explains. Faith is easier to talk to than the other Slayers.</p><p class="western">“What? Who?”</p><p class="western">“Spike and Angel.”</p><p class="western">“<em>What</em>? You know them? Are you from LA or something?” Faith asks.</p><p class="western">Faith knows them too? Parker asks, “Do you know how Spike became a vampire-ghost? Because the other vamps just turn into dust when they die and I didn't see any ghosts.”</p><p class="western">“It was some kind of magic thing,” Faith says, waving her hand dismissively. “Where did you meet Spike and Angel?”</p><p class="western">“At Wolfram &amp; Hart.”</p><p class="western">Faith is staring at her again. “Who <em>are</em> you?”</p><p class="western">Parker is saved from answering because that's when the ghost arrives.</p><p class="western">She has long red hair and a flowing green tunic-dress over her jeans, as well as being faintly transparent. Parker wonders if she's a vampire-ghost too. “Faith, there you are! Why aren't you answering your phone?”</p><p class="western">Faith sighs. “I'm a bit busy. What's up, Willow?”</p><p class="western">The ghost turns and sees Parker. “Oh! Hi, sorry for interrupting.” She smiles awkwardly and speaks to Faith. “One of my magical sensors in your firewall went off. You're being hacked.”</p><p class="western">Hardison. Parker grins. The team must be here.</p><p class="western">~~~</p><p class="western">“How long have you and Eliot been dating?” Fred asks out of nowhere.</p><p class="western">Alec just about spits orange soda all over his keyboard. Over the comm, in the cab of the van, he hears Eliot breathe in sharply. Alec swallows and clears his throat. “What?”</p><p class="western">“I said—”</p><p class="western">“We aren't dating,” Alec says, trying to sound casual and failing. His heart is hammering. It sounds like everybody else on the comms is holding their breath.</p><p class="western">“Oh, sorry! I just assumed...” Fred trails off, going back to rolling the earbud Alec gave her around in her fingers. She stops suddenly and stares at it. She shows the earbud to Alec, widening her eyes.</p><p class="western">He nods. Everybody heard her say it. Eliot, Nate, Sophie, and Fred's entire team besides.</p><p class="western">Fred winces. “Forget I asked,” she says, smiling apologetically.</p><p class="western">Alec can feel another awkward silence building. He and Fred have been in the back of the tech van for at least an hour now, with Eliot and Spike in the cab. They're parked near enough to the Slayer compound for Alec to hack them, but hopefully, far enough away not to get caught.</p><p class="western">He checks his phone again, for the thousandth time that night. Still no new messages from Parker.</p><p class="western">“How's the hacking going?” Fred asks, too brightly.</p><p class="western">Alec pockets his phone. “Whoever designed this is good. I mean, I'm better, but props.”</p><p class="western">“Hardison, do you have eyes on Parker?” Nate asks.</p><p class="western">Alec checks the captured camera feeds again. “Not yet.” Parker hides from cameras on principle so that doesn't necessarily mean bad news.</p><p class="western">“We're running low on time,” Nate says.</p><p class="western">Alec bristles. “Hey, I am on <em>borrowed</em> equipment in the middle of nowhere. Nobody could do this faster than me.”</p><p class="western">“You're doing great,” Fred says. “I'm sure you can find her.”</p><p class="western">Alec smiles quickly at her and gets back to searching. He knows Fred doesn't want to move on to Plan B. The plan where she pretends to be a Slayer and sneaks into the compound to look for Parker. That's the reason she and Spike are out here in the van in the first place.</p><p class="western">Spike opens the back door of the van. He's inside with the door shut before Alec can even flinch. “It's just about sunrise out there. Are we going to sit here all bloody day?” Spike complains.</p><p class="western">Alec's hand closes around the bottle of holy water in his jacket pocket. It's only enough to be a distraction, an annoyance. Spike is supposed to be a good vampire but Alec remembers Files &amp; Records explaining what his name means. Being impaled by railroad spikes is <em>not</em> on Alec's to-do list today.</p><p class="western">“Can you try calling Faith again?” Fred asks Spike.</p><p class="western">“Tell her I already called three times,” Angel says over the comms.</p><p class="western">“Tell her yourself,” Spike snaps back.</p><p class="western">Fred leans back, surprised. “I only met Faith the one time when she came to help us with Angelus. Didn't you spend months with her and Buffy back in Sunnydale?”</p><p class="western">Alec points to the earbud still in Fred's hand. “Angel tried a few times,” he says.</p><p class="western">Fred reluctantly puts the earbud in. “When I'm in there... can y'all be quiet so I can concentrate?” she asks.</p><p class="western">There's a chorus of agreement from the others. Fred winces.</p><p class="western">“I can mute them if they aren't,” Alec reassures her.</p><p class="western">Fred looks relieved. “Oh, much better than the other voices in my head.” Then she adds, hastily, “That was a joke.”</p><p class="western">Spike snorts. “Wish it was always that easy.”</p><p class="western">A back door of the van bursts open, making all three of them jump. Parker leaps in. Her eyes meet Alec's at once. She grins. “Hi!”</p><p class="western">Alec grins back. Of course Parker would rescue herself.</p><p class="western">“What the hell was that?” Eliot yells. Parker slams the door shut behind her.</p><p class="western">“Parker,” Alec answers. He hears the van engine start with a roar.</p><p class="western">“Good,” is all Eliot says but his relief is obvious, even over the comms.</p><p class="western">Parker throws herself at Spike as the van lurches into motion. “Get away from him!” she yells.</p><p class="western">Spike dodges but he isn't fast enough. “What are you on about?!” he yells back.</p><p class="western">Parker punches Spike in the face, hard enough to snap his head back. Fred stumbles trying to intervene and has to catch herself on the swaying wall.</p><p class="western">“Whoa, Parker, Spike's here to help!” Alec calls.</p><p class="western">She whirls around. “He is? Why?”</p><p class="western">Spike sits down heavily on the floor of the van. “She's a Slayer alright,” he groans, clutching his nose.</p><p class="western">“Lindsey is working with them,” Alec says, since it seems like a good place to start. “When they heard you were in trouble, they wanted to help.”</p><p class="western">“I wouldn't say 'working with',” Angel mutters.</p><p class="western">“That's weird,” Parker says. Her shoulders relax a little anyway.</p><p class="western">“Are you okay?” Alec asks.</p><p class="western">Parker shrugs. “I heal fast now.” She takes a few steps and leans her crossed arms against the back of Alec's chair. He passes her an earbud out of the box. “Thanks,” she says, but after her comm is live, so she's probably not just thanking Alec.</p><p class="western">“Parker, did they hurt you?” Sophie asks.</p><p class="western">“I'm fine. They wanted me to join their army.”</p><p class="western">“You tempted?” Eliot asks. Alec isn't sure if he's joking or not.</p><p class="western">“They <em>do</em> have a great obstacle course,” Parker says. She pokes Alec. “I want one.”</p><p class="western">Alec grins. “I'll see what I can do.”</p><p class="western">~~~</p><p class="western">The hotel suite where the others are waiting isn't big enough not to be crowded with twelve people inside. Eliot hopes they won't be entertaining the Wolfram &amp; Hart team for much longer. He's going to need to crash soon, now that Parker's safe. He hasn't slept since Lindsey told him the world was going to end.</p><p class="western">Angel and Nate are on a couch in the middle of the main room, papers spread out of the coffee table in front of them. Sophie and Lorne are in the connected second living room, talking in excited whispers. Fred joins Wesley and Gunn on another couch in the main room. Lindsey is leaning against the wall in a corner by himself. Spike settles into the armchair nearest Angel and starts playing CandyCrush on his phone with the sound effects turned on.</p><p class="western">Parker is staying between Eliot and Hardison. Eliot's trying not to read into it. There aren't enough chairs left in here for all three of them.</p><p class="western">Nate looks up as they walk in. “What happened?”</p><p class="western">Eliot crosses his arms automatically. Nate could've asked over the comm, since he's asking in front of everyone anyway. No need to act like Parker did anything wrong.</p><p class="western">“I staked a vampire the Slayers were following,” Parker says.</p><p class="western">After a moment of expectation, Nate sighs and gestures her to keep going.</p><p class="western">“They outnumbered me,” Parker says, glancing around the room. “And I wanted to know about Slayers.”</p><p class="western">“So, you <em>are</em> a Slayer then?” Angel asks.</p><p class="western">Parker touches her side. “Yeah. They weren't sure, at first.”</p><p class="western">Did they hurt her? She said something about healing before. Eliot meets Hardison's eyes and it's obvious he's thinking the same thing. There's nothing they can do about it but Eliot still feels anger bubbling up.</p><p class="western">“How did they test you?” Wesley asks, his eyes narrowed.</p><p class="western">Almost at the same time, Parker asks, “Why did you want to help me?”</p><p class="western">Her eyes are on Angel but Fred answers. “That's what we do,” she says.</p><p class="western">Over in his corner, Lindsey snorts and shakes his head.</p><p class="western">“Why aren't you helping him then?” Parker asks, jerking her head towards Lindsey.</p><p class="western">“He tried to kill me!” Angel exclaims.</p><p class="western">None of his people look particularly upset. “Not like that's new for you,” Spike puts in. “Or any of us. Alice here had a go at killing <em>me</em> in the van just now.”</p><p class="western">“How come?” Gunn asks.</p><p class="western">Hardison says, quickly, “Misunderstanding. Before, when I got jumped by vampires, it was in a rental van.”</p><p class="western">Eliot realizes he's matched his breathing to Parker's. They're both taking slow, deep breaths.</p><p class="western">Faintly, a cell phone rings. Wesley pulls his out of his pocket. “Hello?” He stiffens slightly. “Faith.”</p><p class="western">“Why is she calling you?” Angel complains.</p><p class="western">“Very well,” Wesley says and lowers the phone. “She's on her way here. Your phone's dead, Angel.”</p><p class="western">Angel examines his cell phone, as if he's never seen it before. “Oh.”</p><p class="western">Wesley turns to Parker. “She said she was alone. It doesn't sound like she's going to use force to take you back.”</p><p class="western">Eliot shifts a little closer to Parker. She leans toward him and their shoulders touch for a second.</p><p class="western">“How did she know we were here?” Angel asks.</p><p class="western">“You booked the room under Wolfram &amp; Hart,” Nate says.</p><p class="western">“Right,” Angel says. “I see what you were talking about before.”</p><p class="western">Eliot doesn't know what he means, but he doesn't really care at this point.</p><p class="western">“I did a favour for you so Eliot's favour cancels out,” Parker says suddenly to Angel.</p><p class="western">“What favour?” Nate asks, frowning.</p><p class="western">“The recon,” Parker explains.</p><p class="western">“You did that for Lindsey, not for me,” Angel says.</p><p class="western">“Because <em>you</em> wanted me to do it,” Lindsey says.</p><p class="western">“Anyway, Eliot owes me two favours,” Angel says.</p><p class="western">Beside him, Eliot hears Parker inhale sharply. He remembers the voicemail then, the one that sent Parker and Hardison to his and Lindsey's rescue.</p><p class="western">“What's the second one from?” Gunn asks.</p><p class="western">“Breaking Angel's office door,” Hardison says. There's no trace of levity in his voice.</p><p class="western">“With <em>my</em> axe. He could've taken my whole head off instead.” Gunn shrugs at Eliot. “We don't have a problem.” Eliot nods back.</p><p class="western">“Wait, you fought each other?” Hardison asks, looking from Eliot to Gunn.</p><p class="western">“For about 45 seconds, yeah,” Gunn says.</p><p class="western">There's a light knock on the suite door and then a young woman with dark hair opens it. “Wow, it's a party,” she says.</p><p class="western">“Hello Faith,” Angel says.</p><p class="western">Faith flashes him a quick smile then assesses the room, eyebrows up. “I know Angel's team but who are the rest?” she asks Parker.</p><p class="western">“<em>My</em> team.” Parker says it challengingly, like she expects Faith to say she's lying.</p><p class="western">“You weren't kidding when you said you aren't alone,” Faith says.</p><p class="western">“She isn't going with you so forget that idea,” Nate says.</p><p class="western">Faith snorts. “Cool it, American Giles, I just wanted to find out what's going on.” She crosses to the chair beside Spike's, facing Angel, and sits down.</p><p class="western">Nate blinks like he's wondering if he should be insulted or not.</p><p class="western">Faith looks between Eliot and Lindsey, leaning forward in her chair. “You have twins on your team, Hope?”</p><p class="western">“No, I'm Angel's prisoner,” Lindsey says.</p><p class="western">Faith's eyebrows go up again. “Huh.”</p><p class="western">“How many times do I have to explain that he tried to kill me?” Angel asks the ceiling.</p><p class="western">“I've tried to kill you too,” Faith says, casually.</p><p class="western">“That wasn't the same,” Angel insists. “He's evil.”</p><p class="western">Faith smiles. Eliot tenses up involuntarily at the intensity in her eyes. “So was I,” she says,</p><p class="western">Angel's face twists. “No, Faith, you weren't.”</p><p class="western">“Quite a lot of people in Sunnydale would disagree with you,” Faith says. “Anyway, why do you want to keep <em>him </em>on a leash, in particular?”</p><p class="western">“So he can't make trouble. And when he does, we can find him.”</p><p class="western">“And punish me, just like the Senior Partners did,” Lindsey says, nodding.</p><p class="western">Angel sighs heavily. “No, we aren't like them.”</p><p class="western">“Lindsey does have a point,” Wesley says. He and Fred join the main group again.</p><p class="western">Fred says, “The whole reason for us being at Wolfram &amp; Hart is to change things.”</p><p class="western">“Is <em>everybody</em> against me on this?” Angel asks.</p><p class="western">“I definitely am,” Spike responds immediately, without looking up from his phone. Angel glares at him.</p><p class="western">“You should let Lindsey go,” Gunn says.</p><p class="western">Faith laughs. “Sounds to me like the majority is opposed.”</p><p class="western">Angel pinches the bridge of his nose. “Fine, fine.” He raises his head and points at Eliot. “You take him.”</p><p class="western">Eliot stares at Angel. Just like that?</p><p class="western">“For the second favour,” Angel clarifies. “Keep Lindsey out of trouble.”</p><p class="western">“Agreed,” Eliot says, before Angel can take it back.</p><p class="western">Lindsey rolls his eyes but doesn't say anything.</p><p class="western">“Alright, as fun as all this is, I have to get going,” Faith says, standing up. She turns to Parker. “If you need us, you know where we are.”</p><p class="western">“Wait a minute,” Angel says. He fumbles with a stack of large photos and pulls out one of a white woman seated at a table. “Would you mind staking some vampires for us?” he asks, holding it out to her.</p><p class="western">Faith takes a few steps to accept the photo. “You can't do it yourself?” she asks.</p><p class="western">“They're watching us. They won't see you coming,” Angel says.</p><p class="western">“Cryptic,” Faith says, studying the photo.</p><p class="western">“It's all part of a bigger plan,” Angel says. “I can tell you more when we're further in.”</p><p class="western">Faith crosses her arms, the photo dangling from one hand, and stares down at him.</p><p class="western">“I'll tell you more before we go back to LA,” Angel amends.</p><p class="western">“You have my number,” Faith says, handing the photo back to him. She crosses to the door and looks back over her shoulder. “Give it to Hope too.” Then she's gone.</p><p class="western">Parker relaxes slightly.</p><p class="western">“How many names do you have?” Spike asks her, looking up from his phone at last.</p><p class="western">“One,” Parker answers.</p><p class="western">Lorne and Sophie join the rest of them in the main room.</p><p class="western">“Sophie and I have been having <em>the</em> most delightful time,” Lorne says, beaming. “Anytime you want a job, just let me know, sugar.”</p><p class="western">“A job doing communication consulting?” Fred asks.</p><p class="western">“Oh, no, acting of course!” Lorne exclaims.</p><p class="western">Eliot, Parker, and Hardison look at each other. Silently, they decide not to tell him.</p><p class="western">Lindsey strolls over from his corner. “So, how about getting this thing off me?” he asks. He's trying to sound like he doesn't care but Eliot knows him better than that.</p><p class="western">Lorne pulls a small metal key out of an inner pocket of his checkered suit.</p><p class="western">“<em>You</em> have it?” Lindsey asks, incredulous.</p><p class="western">“Angel has the fake one, pumpkin,” Lorne says. “We knew you'd take it off him if you had the chance.”</p><p class="western">“Fair enough.” Lindsey sets his foot on the couch and pulls up his pantleg to reveal the tracking anklet. Eliot is ready to steady him if he wobbles.</p><p class="western">Lorne mutters some words under his breath. He inserts the key as he says the last syllable. The anklet disappears, key and all.</p><p class="western">“Where did it go?” Hardison asks.</p><p class="western">“It was a physical manifestation of the tracking spell,” Wesley explains.</p><p class="western">Parker snaps her fingers. “You could make a real one magical. There was magic in the security system around the Slayer base. It set off a ghost to tell Faith someone was hacking it.”</p><p class="western">“That's kind of unethical, to enslave a ghost like that,” Fred says.</p><p class="western">Lindsey raises his eyebrows. “Wow.”</p><p class="western">Nate joins them. “All set?” he asks.</p><p class="western">“You have a bag or anything?” Eliot asks Lindsey.</p><p class="western">While Linds looks for his suitcase, Gunn and Hardison start quietly make plans to see each other in the future.</p><p class="western">Fred catches Eliot's eye and motions him a little apart from the rest of the group. “Sorry about earlier. That was rude of me to make assumptions.”</p><p class="western">Eliot smiles and is about to reassure her that it doesn't matter when she continues. “But now that I've seen all three of you together, I think I understand a bit better.” Fred returns his smile and walks away before Eliot can find any words at all, let alone the right ones.</p><p class="western">“Bet you're glad the world isn't ending now, huh?” Lindsey asks, popping up beside him.</p><p class="western">Eliot swallows. He's still got nothing. “Sure,” he finally says.</p><p class="western">Lindsey throws an arm over Eliot's shoulders. “Cheer up. It'll work out.” He pauses. “Although, I'd appreciate a warning first, if I'm staying with you.” His light tone falters slightly on the latter part of the sentence.</p><p class="western">“Of course you can stay with me,” Eliot says, answering the unasked question.</p><p class="western">“Not forever,” Lindsey replies.</p><p class="western">It hits Eliot then that Linds <em>needs</em> him right now, needs somebody who doesn't just think of him as an enemy or an ally. Family. “As long as you want,” he promises.</p><p class="western">Lindsey pats Eliot's shoulder and pulls away. “I'm sure you and your team get all kinds of legal trouble anyway,” he says.</p><p class="western">Eliot grins. “Hardison's pretty good at playing lawyer. I don't know how much better you could do.”</p><p class="western">“Just watch me,” Lindsey retorts.</p><p class="western">~~~~</p><p class="western">It takes some doing but Alec gets Eliot, Parker, and himself booked into the same hotel room. Lindsey helps by declaring he needed to be alone after the night's adventures. Sophie and Nate don't even pretend they aren't getting a room together.</p><p class="western">So the three of them are all standing in their Wolfram &amp; Hart-paid-for luxury hotel room. With one bed.</p><p class="western">Eliot speaks first. “I'll go tell them about the mistake.”</p><p class="western">Not even close to a mistake. “It's like ten in the morning, I had to bribe them to even let us check in at all,” Alec says. It's true too.</p><p class="western">Parker leaps at the bed. “I like this one,” she declares.</p><p class="western">Eliot sighs.</p><p class="western">Alec has to ask, even though it isn't a good time. “So, I heard you talking to Lindsey. You thought the world was ending? Is that why you came over?”</p><p class="western">Eliot shrugs like he doesn't want to answer.</p><p class="western">Alec tries to make his voice gentle. “You could've told me.”</p><p class="western">“Doesn't matter anyway,” Eliot says. “It was a lie.”</p><p class="western">“Next time, it might not be,” Parker says. They turn to her. She goes on, “This Slayer thing... the video said I'd be in the middle of it if something apocalyptic happened.”</p><p class="western">“Then we'd be in the middle of it too,” Alec says.</p><p class="western">Parker and Eliot exchange a look he can't read.</p><p class="western">“I know,” Parker says, finally.</p><p class="western">“Better teach me how to stake vampires then,” Alec says.</p><p class="western">Eliot's eyes widen in horror. Parker nods.</p><p class="western">“Tomorrow,” Alec clarifies. “We've all had a long night.”</p><p class="western">Eliot drops into the armchair, betraying more of his relief than Alec thinks he meant to show them.</p><p class="western">Parker wanders over and pokes him. “Come on. It's a king-sized bed.”</p><p class="western">“I'm fine,” Eliot protests.</p><p class="western">Wait, is he actually planning to sleep in a <em>chair</em>? That can't happen. “El, when's the last time you slept?”</p><p class="western">Eliot sighs again and rubs his eyes.</p><p class="western">“We all slept in the bed after we rescued you,” Parker reminds him.</p><p class="western">“That was... different,” Eliot says.</p><p class="western">“Why?”</p><p class="western">“Parker.”</p><p class="western">She frowns at him. “What? You aren't making sense. It isn't different, it's the same.”</p><p class="western">“She's right,” Alec says.</p><p class="western">Eliot looks up at him. “Last time, I—” He cuts himself off, shaking his head.</p><p class="western">Parker sits down on the arm of Eliot's chair. Alec crouches down in front of him. They wait.</p><p class="western">“I don't want to ruin anything,” Eliot says, after a minute. “Last time, I couldn't make myself leave. That's why it's different.”</p><p class="western">“Do you want to leave?” Alec asks.</p><p class="western">Eliot shakes his head.</p><p class="western">Alec leans forward and balances by holding the armrest Parker isn't sitting on. “Can I kiss you?” he asks.</p><p class="western">Eliot stares at him. “What?”</p><p class="western">“Can I kiss you next?” Parker asks.</p><p class="western">Eliot stares at her too. Then he turns back to Alec. “Are you sure?”</p><p class="western">Alec grins. He stands up and offers Eliot his hand. “I've wanted to for a while.”</p><p class="western">“We talked about it,” Parker says, jumping off the armrest.</p><p class="western">Eliot takes Alec's hand. Alec pulls him to his feet. “So, can I?” Alec asks.</p><p class="western">Eliot reaches up to pull Alec's head down to his level, his eyes soft. “Yes,” he says, and kisses him.</p><p class="western">Alec always knew Eliot would be a great kisser. Watching him kiss Parker is almost as good as kissing either of them himself.</p><p class="western">Working everything out can wait until tomorrow. Right now, it's just the three of them, all together.</p><p class="western">Parker kisses Alec when she and Eliot come up for air. “Sorry you missed your raid,” she whispers.</p><p class="western">Alec grins. “I wouldn't miss <em>this</em> for the world.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>How I fixed it (spoilers for Angel season 5): </p><p>How We Work results: Gunn gets checked out because Eliot gave him a concussion, brain upgrade degradation caught--&gt;no deal with creepy medical guy--&gt;no Illyria delivery--&gt;no Illyria possession--&gt;Fred lives--&gt;Wesley doesn't try to kill Gunn--&gt;Gunn doesn't choose to stay behind in Suburbia Hell (which isn't even on Team Angel's radar at all because Lindsey is rescued early and not by them)</p><p>You Can Be a Hero results: Since Angel is (relatively) emotionally stable--&gt;no Black Thorn initiation--&gt;no dumb plan to take them out--&gt;Wolfram &amp; Hart doesn't pull the switch for the end of the world--&gt;Gunn isn't bitten; Wesley lives; Lindsey lives (and Lorne doesn't have to kill him)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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